Portman unveils foster care bill

Senator Rob Portman today joined Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., to introduce a bill to improve health services for thousands of children in foster care.

This proposal clarifies Medicaid policy that focuses on foster children with behavioral health needs or medical disabilities. In a statement, Portman, R-Ohio, said the bill would provide "quality mental and behavioral health services to youth in the foster care community who have been abused or experienced trauma.''

The measure uses what is known as the Therapeutic Foster Care model, which provides training for foster parents of children with serious medical, psychological, emotional, and social needs.

In a conference call today with Ohio reporters, Portman said the bill is bipartisan and "can get through even in our current partisan gridlock here in Washington. It's something people agree on -that we need to improve foster care services for America's most vulnerable youth. I think it's important to move forward with it."